An Institutional Response to Students Leaving Care

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An Institutional Response to Students Leaving Care

• Joy Clews and Phil Davis

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National and local context

• 5 GCSE A-C grades 2007
• England 62.0
• Lincolnshire 65.5
• CiPC Lincolnshire 17.5

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National and local context

• Education is crucial. Too often, a child in
  care will possess innate talents or abilities
  that are squandered through system failures. We
  will improve opportunities at every stage
  ensuring that they have the opportunity to go to
  the best schools and to aspire to university.
• Alan Johnson, Foreword to the White Paper, Care
  Matters Time for Change

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Bishop Grosseteste University College Lincoln

• Long-standing commitment to WP
• Recognise strength of collaboration
• - Children in Public Care progressing to
• Further and Higher Education Working
• Group
• - Extended Senior Management Group

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Recognised barriers to care leavers entering
higher education

• Stable accommodation
• Finance
• Professional support
• Self esteem

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Stable accommodation

• Builds relationships and provides security
• On-campus/off-campus options
• Advice and assistance
• Housing rights
• Financial help rent
• travel costs
• Liaison between Chaplaincy, Students Union,
  Estates and Student Support

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Finance

• Debt aversion
• Non-repayable assistance
• Local Authority assistance (fees, lap-top)
• Bursary
• Maintenance Grant
• Access to Learning Fund (ALF)
• Discretionary Fund
• Liaison between Finance and Student Support Teams

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Professional support

• Confidential and non-judgemental
• Student Support named contact
• Outreach
• Admissions cycle
• Throughout study
• Links with Learning Advice/Programme Teams

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Self esteem

• Mentoring programme
• Outreach
• During study
• Learning Advice
• Counselling

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Current involvement
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Future involvement
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Benefits to BGs approach

• Institutional ownership of issues through
• Clear objectives
• Institutional goals
• Clear communication
• Alignment with ethos
• Achieving
• New channels of communication
• Cultural understanding of care leavers